What is the correct approach to moving a patient with suspected spinal injury during air transport?

What is the correct approach to moving a patient with suspected spinal injury during air transport?

• A. Move the patient quickly to the aircraft without immobilization.
• B. Remove all immobilization devices to allow easier transfer.
• C. Move only with rigid spinal precautions and maintain inline immobilization.
• D. Allow the patient to roll onto their stomach to ease airway.

Answer: (C)

When a spinal injury is suspected, even small movements can worsen damage, so keeping the spine immobilized is essential. The safest approach for air transport is to move the patient only with rigid spinal precautions and to maintain inline immobilization throughout loading, flight, and unloading. This means securing the patient to a backboard or equivalent, using a cervical collar, and applying head and body restraints to prevent any flexion, extension, or rotation of the spine. Maintaining a neutral, aligned position minimizes motion from cabin turbulence and handling, reducing the risk of secondary spinal cord injury. Airway management, if needed, should be performed in a way that preserves spinal alignment, such as manual inline stabilization. Rolling the patient onto the stomach disrupts spinal alignment and can obstruct the airway, so it is not appropriate. Moving without immobilization or removing immobilization devices would remove the protection the spine needs during transport.

When a spinal injury is suspected, even small movements can worsen damage, so keeping the spine immobilized is essential. The safest approach for air transport is to move the patient only with rigid spinal precautions and to maintain inline immobilization throughout loading, flight, and unloading. This means securing the patient to a backboard or equivalent, using a cervical collar, and applying head and body restraints to prevent any flexion, extension, or rotation of the spine. Maintaining a neutral, aligned position minimizes motion from cabin turbulence and handling, reducing the risk of secondary spinal cord injury. Airway management, if needed, should be performed in a way that preserves spinal alignment, such as manual inline stabilization. Rolling the patient onto the stomach disrupts spinal alignment and can obstruct the airway, so it is not appropriate. Moving without immobilization or removing immobilization devices would remove the protection the spine needs during transport.